About Organic Land Care
The NOFA Organic Land Care Program began in 1999 with the writing of the NOFA Standards for Organic Land Care by an ad hoc volunteer committee of scientists, landscapers, and activists from the Massachusetts and Connecticut chapters of NOFA (Northeast Organic Farming Association). The program has been housed at and administered by CT NOFA since 2005.
The word “organic,” as we use it here, comes from organic agriculture. The ideas and methods of organic agriculture have been developed over more than 80 years through a rich exchange among farmers, researchers, and activists all over the world.
The mission of the NOFA Organic Land Care Program is to extend the vision and principles of organic agriculture to the landscapes where people spend their daily lives.
The primary goals of organic land care are
- Maintaining soil health;
- Eliminating the use of synthetic pesticides and synthetic fertilizers;
- Increasing landscape diversity;
- Improving the health and well being of the people and web of life in our care.
To achieve these goals, the Organic Land Care Program
- Trains landscape professionals and others on the principles and practices of organic land care, as laid out by the NOFA Standards for Organic Land Care;
- Runs a professional accreditation program, credentialing professionals who offer to the public organic landscaping services that meet or exceed the Standards;
- Provides advice, support and cross-credentialing to partner institutions engaged in sustainable landscape education;
- Educates the public about the importance of using standards-based organic landscaping services, because - unlike agriculture - in landscaping, use of the word “organic” is unregulated.
About Us
The Standards for Organic Land Care
Our Sponsors & Partners
